GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE,

BHARUCH
Chemical Engineering Dept.

Chemical Reaction Engineering-II

Dispersion Model
Prepared by:Name

Enrollment no.

Hardik Mantri

140143105005

Rishabh Modi

130144105001

Jeyur Rana

140143105012

Satyam Dave

130140105006

Jenish Morasiya

130140105021

Various models
Dispersion model
Tanks-in-series model
Pure convection model
These different kinds of models depending on
whether flow is close to plug, mixed, or
somewhere in between.

Why models are used?

Useful for,
Representation of flow in real vessels
Scaling up of vessels
Diagnosing poor flow

Axial dispersion

Figure: The spreading of tracer according to the

dispersion model

Continue..
Suppose,
Ideal pulse of tracer is introduced
Pulse spreads as it passes through the vessel
Diffusion- like process super-imposed on plug
flow is assumed.
This is called dispersion or longitudinal
dispersion to distinguish it from molecular
diffusion.

Dispersion coefficient (D)

It represents the spreading process
Unit : 2 /
Large D :
Rapid spreading of the tracer curve
Small D :
Slow spreading of the tracer curve
D=0:
No spreading, (Plug flow)

Axial dispersion (cont..)

(D/uL) Dimensionless group
- Used for characterizing spread in
whole vessel
Evaluation of D and (D/uL) by,
Recording the shape of tracer curve at the
exit of the vessel.

New terms
: mean time of passage, or when the curve
passes by the exit
: variance, or a measure of the spread of
the curve
Both are Directly linked to D and (D/uL).
Unit: 2
Variance ( )
Represents the square of the spread of the
distribution at the vessel exit

Continue..
Useful for matching experimental and
theoretical curves

Figure: Illustration of these two new terms

From figure,
Consider plug flow of a fluid on top of which is
superimposed some degree of back mixing.
Magnitude is independent of position within
the vessel
This condition implies that,
No stagnant pockets exists
No gross bypassing

This is called dispersion model.

Cont.
The mixing process involves a shuffling or a
redistribution of material either by slippage or
eddies

From above equation D is the longitudinal or

axial dispersion coefficient which characterizes
the degree of backmixing during flow

Fitting the Dispersion Model

For a small extent of dispersion the spreading
tracer curve does not significantly change in
shape as it passes through measuring point

This representation of gaussian curve also

called error or Normal curves

Cont
This fig. shows a number of ways to evaluate
D/uL from an experimental curve by
measuring its maximum height & its width at
the point of inflection
For small extents of dispersion numerous
simplification and approximation in the
analysis of tracer curve is possible

Large deviation from Plug Flow

For large D/uL at the entrance & exit of the
vessel strongly affect the shape of the tracer
curve and relation of curve & D/uL
Two types of boundary conditions:
The flow is undisturbed as it passes the entrance &
exit boundaries
Plug flow outside the vessel up to the boundaries

Four combination of boundaries:

Open-open, closed-closed, and mixed

Cont

Cont
Comments
For small D/uL the curves for the different boundary
conditions all approach the s all deviatio . At larger D/uL
the curves differ more and more from each other
To evaluate D/uL either match the measured tracer curve or
the measured
If the flow deviates greatly from plug then real vessel does t
meet the assumption of the model
If values match, but shape looks wrong then do t use this
model
We should be very careful in using the dispersion model
where back mixing is large

Small Deviation from Plug Flow

For the small deviation from plug flow we can
find D/uL directly by plotting experimental
data on probability graph indicated in fig.

Step Response for Large Deviation

For large deviation from plug flow, the
problem of boundary condition must be
considered
S- shaped response curve are not symmetrical,
their equations are not available and they are
best analyzed by differentiating them to give
corresponding Cpluse curve

Cont
Comments
One direct commercial application of the step experiment is
to find intermixing the contaminated width between two
fluid having similar properties
There are two types pulse & step injection. Sometimes one
type is more convenient then two. But when there is choice,
then pulse experiment is preferred because it gives a more
ho est result

Correlation for Axial Dispersion

The vessel dispersion number D/uL is a
product of two terms

Experiments shows dispersion model well

represented in packed bed & in pipes

Cont
This model represents turbulent flow, but also
represent streamline flow in pipe when pipe is
long enough to achieve radial uniformity of a
pulse of tracer
Molecular diffusion strongly affects the rate of
dispersion in laminar flow
At low flow it promotes dispersion; at higher
flow rate it has opposite effect

Chemical Reaction & Dispersion

Consider a steady state flow reactor of length
L through which fluid flow at velocity u, and
having dispersion coefficient D

Cont
Material balance
For component A,

Cont

Putting all the values we get,

Tha k You.